Inclusive Education PolicyMarymount has an inclusive education policy for students with disabilities in the regular classroom settings. Within the Catholic Education System, the Learning Support Teacher:Inclusive Education (ST:IE), works in collaborative partnership to support a whole school commitment to the effective learning and teaching of students with individual needs.
The fundamental principle of an inclusive school is that all children should learn together wherever possible, regardless of any difficulties or differences that they may have. Inclusive schools must recognise and respond to the diverse learning needs of their students accommodating, where possible, for different styles and rates of learning. This may occur through:
- group and class support
- teaching strategies
- modified curriculum
- guided reading
- adaptation of printed materials
- individualised instruction, when needed
- resource use
- collaborative planning with teachers
- organisational arrangements
- partnerships with parents and staff
Students with special needs, who may be experiencing some difficulty with various aspects of the curriculum, are integrated in regular classrooms where they develop a sense of belonging. Withdrawal of students for work on an individual or small group program may occur but the preferred method of providing support is in-class, alongside peers.
Support can be provided through the partnership between the school and home which is extremely important. Learning Support Programs, backed up by home support are more likely to provide desired outcomes.
There are some general classroom principles that support students with learning difficulties. These include:
- Diagnostic assessment to determine individual strengths and weakness in order to focus instruction on specific needs.
- Teaching principles that include explicit instruction, modelling, scaffolding expert guidance and the implementation of learning strategies.
- Regular monitoring of the progress of the student
- Parental involvement in planning for the student
- Small group, or individual systematic teaching, on a regular basis
- Referral to ST:IE and ongoing consultation with LEC staff
The Student Support Team is a collaborative approach to dealing with behavioural, academic and/or emotional problems that students may encounter in the school and home environment.
This team of school based professionals, meets weekly and is composed of the Principal, the Support Teachers:Inclusive Education (ST:IE), Guidance Counsellor, Speech Pathologist and at times, the Classroom Teacher.
The Student Support Team process is an effective, proactive approach to problem solving at Marymount Primary School. In some cases, concerns can be addressed in one session while in other situations the support may be ongoing. Sometimes there is a need to refer parents to other agencies (e.g. Paediatricians, Speech and Language therapists). The problems addressed are many and varied. Anxiety, lack of concentration, an inability to make friends and delayed progress in learning, are illustrative of the types of issues that are addressed.
© Brisbane Catholic Education, Marymount Primary School (2022)